Moving On
by Leto
Summary: Several years have passed since 02, and everyone is growing up and doing new things with their lives... but can they really escape their past, and the digital world? (This fic also has a sequel, "Prove yourself!", if you're interested.)


Does anyone have any requests? Like, a particular character (or two + characters for a 'friendship fic') you'd like me to write a fic centering around, preferably one I haven't already done? I may write romance but not yaoi/yuri. Anyway, if you want me to write something, please say so in a review or something. ^_^. 

Apparently there will be an 03 season some time. Well, let's assume for the sake of this fic that there isn't, 'cos this will probably go against some stuff in 03. ^_^; 

I have written more to this story but I thought this might be a good place to close it. If you want me to post more, let me know. Can't be bothered otherwise.

**Moving On**  
by [Leto][1]

  
Dear Joe, 

Sorry I took so long to write back. Things have been hectic around here at the moment, lots of people ordering flowers at this time of year. And it seems like just everything is happening at once, almost everyone has some sort of news to report! 

First I'll just catch you up on the latest news on 'the old gang'... 

It still seems strange to see Tai in a suit and tie every day - and without hair standing up like he's been electrocuted! He still manages to forget to tuck his shirt in half the time. I swear, he'll never change! I don't know, I just can't seem to think of him as a respectable businessman; I keep remembering him playing soccer, or wearing those ridiculous goggles, or that stupid smirk on his face... 

But we're still friends as always. It seems to me we'll probably be friends forever. 

I see Matt a few times a week, we're studying at the same university. He keeps saying that if he never sees another computer in his life he'll be profoundly happy. I don't know what he expects when he's doing a computer course... I know he wants to learn so much about computers that he can understand the digital world better, but I don't know where he expects it to take him. He talks about Gabumon a lot. I think he might be lonely, but don't tell him I told you that - his pride and all! 

Koushiro, haven't seen him in a few months, the college he goes to is too far away. His phone is permanently set to "I'm out or busy right now, please leave a message". I don't think any of us have actually gotten through to him for a while! He's taking way too many courses for his own good, but I think he's happy, even if he should be getting out and seeing his friends more! I guess this is what he wants, to pursue knowledge. Typical Koushiro. 

Last I heard, Kari and Takeru were in Switzerland - Matt got a postcard from them - and planning to go on to Spain in a few days. They're so lucky! I'd just love to travel the world like that... but I guess they deserve the break, they worked so hard to graduate high school. And to answer your question, no, I don't think they're 'getting any closer', they're still the closest friends I've ever seen. 

I haven't seen Davis much lately either. He did come into the shop a couple of weeks ago to buy flowers for his sister. Can you believe June's getting married? It seems like only yesterday she was drooling over Matt and chasing cute guys to the ends of the Earth! 

Davis and Ken moved into the digital world. Can you believe that? They use Matt's computer to come back here... I still think that's not normal. They have a house there and everything! The real joke is that their families don't even know. What they're doing is sleeping in the digital world and spending a lot of their free time there. They still come to our world to study (well, Ken studies, Davis just works in the Inoue's convenience store) but I think they're going to end up living most of their lives there. 

It does sound weird but when Davis was talking about it to me, he was pretty convincing. He said, why bother studying and working and stressing out for your whole life when you can stay in a place that's free of charge, where you have lots of friends willing to extend you their hospitality, and where you can have adventures and really live? 

Sometimes I almost wish I could do the same... 

Cody's still in high school, and he's still studying so hard. And Joe, you were wrong, it wasn't just a whim (thought you knew Cody better than that!), he still wants to be a doctor like you! 

I haven't heard from Mimi in a long time. 

It's really kind of sad, the way we drift apart. I know it's stupid to be nostalgic - the friendships are still there. None of them have changed so much that I wouldn't feel comfortable going to them for help. 

The way we all met, though... I visit Biyomon sometimes, but it makes me a little sad. She never changes, but I'm getting older. Will she just disappear some day, being digital data? I don't know, but for now she's just the same Biyo that she always was, friendly and always so happy to see me. And every time I visit her, I'm different, and maybe the day will come when she won't recognise me, and I won't be able to identify with her at all. 

I'm kind of tired right now. Mom's been working me really hard. She still wants me to quit uni and work in the shop full-time so I can take over it after she retires. She doesn't think I should be a teacher. She gives me too many hours but I can't complain because if I do, she'll say that if I stopped studying I'd have plenty of time to work... ehh. She's hard to deal with sometimes, but, I'm managing! 

Most of the others have moved out of home by now but my mom and I, even if we disagree a lot, we have to stick together, I think. 

Yolei's going to start working part-time in our shop as of next week, so hopefully that will take some of the load off. She's also working part-time at her convenience store. She's trying to save up enough to go visit Mimi. Those two are still best friends, so Yolei says. 

I hope things are going well for you in England and that you're enjoying your study. Ever since I first met you you've been studying non-stop. Well, it'll soon be over, right? 

Love,  
Sora

  
Dear Sora, 

Thanks for your letter, it was nice to hear from you again. 

It was also good to catch up. I wish I could see you all again, you guys are like my family. But like you, I'm pretty busy right now. Still, as you said, there's not much to go. I'm really enjoying it though. 

TK and Kari (sorry, I still can't get used to calling TK by his real name... to me, he'll always be TK, just like Koushiro will always be Izzy) shocked me no end three days ago. I knew they were holidaying in Europe but you didn't tell me they were coming to London! Did you know? Well, they sure didn't give ME any warning. 

It was great to see them both again, though. Kari as a blonde came as a bit of a shock - you're definitely right about that. And both of them looked so confident and happy. You said you keep remembering us as we were in the digital world, but those two are so far removed from the two little kids, full of enthusiasm and innocence and nervousness, that I couldn't remember the old TK and Kari well at all. 

They've been staying with me for a few days but it's not 'just like old times'. Relationships change, but not always for the worse... oh, Kari wants to write something. 

"Hi Sora!! You should have seen Joe's face when he opened the door and saw us on his doorstep! England is great, but so cold! TK and I have been having lots of fun, please give my love to Tai, Davis, and the others. Love, Kari." 

"Hey Sora, TK here, thought I might as well write something too. Thought we'd make a change of plans and scare Joe while we were 'in the area'. Joe said things weren't just like the old days, well, he sure got that part right, I haven't heard him complain about hayfever or allergies once! Although yesterday he did trip down the stairs when he" 

Sorry about that, I 

"-he's taking the pen from me! Heyyyy" 

I think TK has finished writing now. He's telling me to tell you to say hi to his brother for him and to let Tai know that he's taking good care of Kari. Kari said to say that she doesn't need to be taken care of any more. Now TK's saying - oh, why don't you guys write your own letter? I'll write more tomorrow when I can write in peace! 

Gotta go study now. 

Okay, it's the next day now. Isn't that weird about Davis and Ken living in the digital world! I think it's a great idea but I like this world, personally. One bonus of having TK and Kari over was that they have their D3s with them, so I got to see Gomamon again! I couldn't stay as long as I wanted to, but it was nice to go back. 

I know what you mean though. The digital world is so full of memories, and I hadn't seen Gomamon in over a year. He was the same cheerful Gomamon, and so excited to see me although, being Gomamon, he was trying - unconvincingly - to pretend he was expecting me or something. But it does drive in the fact that we're getting older, and we can't open the digital gates by ourselves. 

You sound lonely. You don't have to hide how you're feeling from your friends, you know. It's okay to miss the past, just remember that good things keep happening in the present. Being an adult isn't worse than being a child, although it's certainly different. 

Keep in touch,  
Joe

  
Dear Joe, 

How do you know me so well?! That comment about hiding what I was feeling from my friends, I never said anything like that. But just a couple of days before your letter arrived, Tai said the same thing to me. 

I guess I'm trying to be a responsible adult. I remember someone telling me that growing up was where you learned to hide your emotions. But things seem so boring these days. I'm sick of routine, I'm sick of flowers, and my mother is driving me crazy, treating me like I'm about five years younger than I am. 

Yolei is such a good friend. She's started at the convenience store, and you know she holds, or held, the same crest as I did. But at the same time, I *still* resent it a little bit that she 'stole' my crest, the thing that made me special. Did I ever tell you that before she got her special digivice, I could... almost *feel* my crest inside my heart? 

And now Mom keeps comparing my work to hers. I'm not really a natural at flower arranging... 

Maybe you're right, maybe I am lonely. Tai and Matt keep trying to set me up with various guys but most of them are reaaally incompatible with me, to put it nicely. (I'm sorry but I don't want to know what Matt was thinking when he set me up with the guy who waxed his legs.) 

I've been going to the digital world more often lately, Yolei takes me there. It's one place where I can count on things to be as I remembered them. 

Kari and Takeru sound just the same! No, I didn't know about them going to England! That's great, and it was good that you got to see Gomamon again! I know he misses you a lot. 

I saw an article in a magazine about Mimi the other day! They were recognising her because she discovered new plant species. One of them looks like that flower from the digital world that kind of resembles Palmon - she actually named it a palmon. I forget its scientific name. 

Matt's been talking about starting up a band again. I didn't realise he missed his music that much; he quit before because he didn't have enough time. He plays his old harmonica quite often. He said he can put more feeling into it. But the music he plays all sounds sad. 

Maybe he feels like me. Empty, confused, kind of... stuck. 

Sorry I keep dumping on you about my stupid feelings. I should just, I don't know, let my hair down, go out and have fun, enjoy life. But that seems meaningless now, I don't see the point. I look at other people who are having fun and just feel tired. June just had her wedding and she was positively glowing; I didn't use to be bitter but it just soured me. 

I'm in kind of a bad mood today... Matt came over and he was trying to use his computer know-how to get us into the digital world without help. We couldn't do it, of course, and we still couldn't get through to Koushiro. I tried ringing Yolei but she was out, and anyway she doesn't know as much about computers. 

Then Tai rang up to tell me he couldn't come over tonight. Sounded like a brush-off to me. 

Anyway, like I said, sorry to be such a downer. But you're always good at listening. I hope you're keeping well. Anyway, tell me a bit about you? I feel selfish! How are you feeling at the moment, what sort of things do you do in your spare time, what do you eat for dinner? I hardly know anything about your life in England!! 

Love,  
Sora

  
Dear Sora,

I e-mailed Izzy twice last week and he still hasn't replied. Are you sure he's still ALIVE? 

I don't mind if you "dump" your problems on me. I don't think you're ungrateful to complain either. I think everyone feels like you do from time to time. I also believe it will pass. 

What you said about 'feeling your crest in your heart' was interesting. I think Kari felt the same way, and I know that Mimi did. We were talking about it the other day, I hope you don't mind. Maybe it's a girl thing, but I'm inclined to think it was because of the nature of your crests; they did respond to your strong feelings, didn't they? One feels love and light sincerely in one's heart. Whereas mine wasn't quite like that, although I think perhaps I did feel something when I was struggling to do the right thing, and maybe that was my crest. 

But I don't feel that Yolei 'stole' your crest. I think your crest is still inside of you, even if you don't feel it glowing. Don't forget that you're still full of love, even if you're tired. 

Do you *want* a boyfriend? You didn't say. But yeah, I would definitely give anyone chosen by Matt or Tai a wide berth! 

How am I feeling? I wish I could do more to help. I miss all you guys. I've made some friends here and all, but it'll never quite be the same. We were teammates for a few months, and friends for life. I still feel like part of the group. 

And I was thinking... I miss Gomamon, but I don't need him any more. That's the worst thing, isn't it? Once, we were all the other had, practically, and I guess I needed him to encourage me and help me in the way that only he could. But now that I've changed, his personality doesn't match mine so easily. It's like he was made to be the best friend of the 13-year-old me, the digidestined, and now that I'm not a digidestined any more... 

Did I tell you that he almost seemed nervous of me? That once, he cut himself off in mid-joke as if a little apprehensive of joking around with me any more? 

It's a stupid thing to say, and to think about still, but I can't tell anyone else. You're the only 'digidestined' I still keep in contact with at the moment. 

My life here is fine. Most days I go to the university to study or work on my assignments, and I've recently begun my supervised practice at a local hospital. I'm working long hours. It was strange to actually meet with, talk to and treat patients, although I'm not allowed to do anything too complicated yet. I thought they'd be worried about being looked at by a doctor-in-training but someone told me I had a good bedside manner. I guess that's a good sign. 

The weather's usually pretty dismal here, and things are kind of grey, but that's supposed to be my colour, right? (Crest of reliability, remember!) There are still some really nice parks and squirrels and things. England suits me pretty well, but there's no place like home. 

Anyway, enough about that. 

Hope to hear from you soon. 

Keep in touch,  
Joe

Dear Joe, 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! See, I remembered! Are you surprised?! Hope you have a great day, and work too hard! (Ehh, you wouldn't be Joe if you didn't work too hard!) 

Speaking of working too hard, we went to Koushiro's today. 'We' meaning myself, Yolei, Cody and Matt. We were in for a bit of a surprise, to say the least. 

Anyway, we knock on his door but he's not home. His car's there and all, so Matt gets the bright idea of climbing through the window. Cody didn't like this idea, saying it was unethical and made him feel like he was breaking and entering. Matt cut him off in mid-sentence and asked him to give him a boost, if he wasn't going to come himself. Cody said he'd never said he wasn't coming, and he was worried about Koushiro. 

Since Cody's the tallest of us, he lifted Matt to the window and he ended up smashing all the panes out because he couldn't open it from the outside! Cody's getting worried by this stage, and so was I, but Yolei was saying how exciting this was and how we were on an awesome rescue attempt. She's still prone to melodrama, as you can see. 

Anyway, Matt crawls through the window and the next thing there's this huge crash and a shout and Cody manages to jump up and stick his head through the window to see what happened. And Matt's lying on the ground there groaning and cursing with a bookshelf on him. All of us are trying very hard not to laugh by this stage but Cody gets through without causing further damage to Matt, lets us in, and we help Matt get up. 

Suffice to say Matt is now getting about with the aid of crutches; he broke his leg, and he's definitely not happy about that, especially after Takeru drew smiley faces all over his cast when he was asleep. 

Anyway, after putting all the books back in the bookshelf and hoping they weren't in some sort of order (knowing Koushiro, they were in an intricate and complicated order that will take hours to replicate), we looked around the apartment for signs of life. Surprisingly few, but the computer was on. Why would he leave the computer on if he wasn't home, Yolei wondered? It didn't seem as though anything were downloading... 

She and Matt (with some difficulty) went to the computer and did their computer genius thing and deduced that Koushiro had SOMEHOW opened the digital portal on his computer WITHOUT a D3, and that's where he must have been. 

So. After some more display of computer genius-dom on the part of my three smarter contemporaries, we went into the digital world and looked for Koushiro. (Well, Cody, Yolei and I looked - Matt just sat on the ground holding his leg and complaining a lot.) 

Anyway, you wouldn't believe it but it turns out HE'S been living part-time in the digital world too! Davis and Ken were sworn to secrecy. Actually I'm amazed that Davis managed to keep such a secret... I don't know why Koushiro feels as though he ought to feel guilty about being in the digital world... maybe because our time as digidestined passed long ago. 

He does a lot of his study in that world... it's unbelievable, really. I guess this explains why we haven't seen Tentomon around much lately. They were living in Gennai's old house. Gennai... haven't heard from him in ages, Koushiro said he hasn't either; all he knows is that Gennai's house has been empty for years. 

It was a bit of a relief to see that he was with a friend, at least - better than being a total hermit. But still... 

Joe, what's happening to us? We were only in the digital world for a few months, years ago... and even now, we can't escape it. The expectations we had, from being in that world, the expectations of relationships and freedom. We all still think about the digital world, and even though most of us go there periodically, we miss it; there's something missing. 

Feels like we left part of our hearts in the digital world. 

I spoke to Tai about the crest thing. (It's difficult to schedule any conversation time with Tai lately - if he's not working, he's out with his girlfriend...) He said that right up to the day when Davis moved the digiegg of Courage, he could often feel his crest burning inside him too. He agrees with your theory. 

Hey, you said that I'm the only digidestined you keep in contact with, but in the same letter you mentioned that you'd talked to Mimi recently...? 

I saw Gomamon on the same day that I got your letter - do you mind that I show him your letters? - and he started crying. He said to tell you that he was trying to be someone he thought you'd like better and that he's glad you're happy. He also said that he'll always be your best friend even if you move on. 

The pressure's lifted a bit with Yolei helping at the flower store. There are still things that she can't do, because you need lots of experience, but it's easier for me, I don't have to work the cash register any more. 

And my teaching course is really interesting at the moment. We're doing child psychology; I could have used that back when we were all kids! 

TK set me up on a date yesterday. I can't believe that even he's gotten in on the act. I guess I do want a boyfriend; no, I want a husband. I want someone who can help me feel less empty. 

Love,  
Sora

  
Dear Sora, 

I didn't know anyone would remember my birthday! Thanks for the seal stuffed animal. I'll have to hide it from my roommate, who would tease me no end. Seriously, it's cute, thank you. 

That is so weird about Izzy. I don't think you should worry about it though. It may be an escape from reality, but... I can't think of a way to end that sentence. Do Davis, Ken and Izzy do any battling in the digiworld? What I mean is, does the digital world show any signs of distress? 

Tell Matt I hope his leg heals soon. I examined someone with a broken leg today, actually. I could have treated Matt. What did he tell the hospital, that he was breaking and entering?!! I can't believe you all climbed in through the window... I can't picture any of you doing that... well, except Yolei, perhaps. She would do anything for a male. 

Do you think that you could possibly have Izzy send me instructions on how to enter the digital world without a D3? You can show Gomamon my letters. Tell him I didn't mean to make him cry! And that I like him just fine the way he is. I hope we'll be friends forever too. 

You asked about Mimi and why I said you were the only digidestined I kept in contact with. I suppose I don't really think of Mimi as a digidestined so much any more; we don't talk about the digital world very often, and I did not see her in the digital world since she was about ten. Also, since she doesn't live in Japan with the rest of you... she does seem somehow separate. 

Then again, she was the only one of us who could get into the digital world without a D3, wasn't she? Through that gate in America. I know she has been going there occasionally, recently. She's become quite an acclaimed botanist - she goes into the digital world to collect unusual plant species, and when she brings them back to our world, no other scientists have ever seen them before, so she becomes famous and applauded. Typical Mimi! 

I think that a small part of us will always belong to the digital world, if for no reason but that our ideal partners were there. But I think you can extricate yourself emotionally if you try. Although I would like to see Gomamon and all of you more often, I do not really miss the digital world. I think that Mimi is enjoying her life too. 

Speaking of Mimi, did you hear that she's expecting?! She only just told me because she and Michael were afraid that it would be bad luck to tell us before the worst danger of a miscarriage was past. 

I'm sorry this letter is so short but I'm going to the theatre with some friends and I also have a test tomorrow; I have to get in enough study before I leave. 

Keep in touch,  
Joe

  
Dear Joe, 

I didn't know you had a roommate! You men, always so secretive and reluctant to open up! (Yolei's words, not mine. She was ranting over her latest boyfriend. She's had three in the last six months.) Tell me more about him! 

Matt is still on crutches and still grouchy. I told him you had said you hoped he'd get better soon and he grumbled "yeah, the feeling's mutual". 

Tai, by contrast, is in a great mood. Why?? Here's a hint - her name starts with a T... yup, he *finally* asked Terri to marry him and she said yes! I was trying to talk to him the other day and he kept going starry-eyed and staring off into the distance, mumbling her name... we've definitely lost him! 

Yolei is avoiding Tai like the plague, she's currently in one of her "I'm going to die an old maid" frames of mind and any sign of happy relationships make her upset... I decided not to tell her about Mimi being pregnant just yet! Isn't that incredible news, though?! It's strange to think of! But wonderful! I'll have to call her! 

Something strange has happened. You asked if the digital world had been experiencing distress? Well, things seemed generally peaceful although the digidestined who were living there *were* occasionally approached and asked for help against virus Digimon. Still, it was nothing too unusual or worrying. 

But now! One day, about a week ago, Ken went back to Matt's house after attending a few lectures at the university, but he couldn't get through to the digital world! Koushiro couldn't get through either, and now both of them are worried and they keep trying all sorts of things to try to open the digital gate. Davis wasn't working that day so as far as we know he's still IN the digital world. 

That was the same day that there was that freak storm... you know that worldwide storm, I saw on the news that it had hit other countries... 

We're all a bit worried, both about Davis whom nobody has seen in a week, and about what might be happening to cause this sudden breakdown. For years, the 'new' digidestined have been able to get through the gate with their D3s and now none of them can. Koushiro's computer keeps crashing whenever he tries... 

Somehow I got stuck with the job of lying to Davis' family. See, the real joke is that he pretends he's still LIVING at home, and he checks in a few times a week just to make it seem as though he is there (his parents are out most of the time themselves so they wouldn't notice). He said it was easier than messing around with registering a change of address and trying to think of how to explain to his parents where he was living... 

I don't know what's going on... I'm worried about Biyomon, Joe. 

I'm sure there are other things I could say but I'm feeling kind of panicky and confused. Joe, what if we're shut out of the digital world forever? 

Love,  
Sora

   [1]: mailto:leto@nysa.cx



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